Unexpected
by lovestowrite27
Summary: Disclaimer: I do not own. Just an idea that popped into my head. Read inside. DELENA
1. Chapter 1

Okay so here is the breakdown, they didnt give the device to Isobel, Katherine came in swept Stefan off his feet and he confessed Elena was only a replacement, but still he loves her in some odd twisted way. Katherine and Isobel fought Damon Alaric and Anna in the forest, and Damon killed Katherine, and Elena and Damon got seperated from the rest of the group who believe them to be dead.

* * *

Elena watched, her head tilted in his direction, silently as he trudged towards her. "I'm sorry," she said as he glanced into her eyes. Her voice was strained and her eyes were filled with pain and resignation. He said nothing as he sat near her, and stared at the ground. "That was the hardest thing I've ever had to do, Elena. So many people died…" he trailed off quietly. Elena said nothing trying only to control her breathing. They sat in silence, each for a different reason, for several minutes. "This tree was planted the year I was born. I can't believe it's fallen." Finally Elena held out one hand silently asking Damon to take it. He did and looked up into her eyes. "Damon, I need to tell you something. I need you to stay calm, and don't do anything rash. Can you promise to do nothing but sit and listen to me for a moment?" He nodded concern written all over his face. "I'm dying Damon." His blue eyes widened with shock, and confusion. She untangled her hand from his and used it to draw her jacket away from her left shoulder. A broken branch protruded grotesquely from her shoulder. "Oh god, Elena…" Damon started. "There's another lodged through my back into my abdomen, if I move, I'll bleed out. If I stay here, my body will shut down. I need you to do some things for me Damon. One I need you to know that I always believed in you, and that I know the real Damon, the one who hides behind your mask, and that I love that Damon. I need you to watch over Jenna and Jeremy, and I need you to move on, and know I will always be with you in your heart. And the last thing I need you to do Damon, is take me to my parents grave, can you do that Damon?" "Elena… I can help you, I can turn you!" "NO!" Elena exclaimed. "Damon, its okay, I'm ready for this, it's my time." "Elena… I… I don't want you to die." He looked at her desperately his blue eyes swimming with emotions. "Damon, please." Elena begged him. He nodded briskly his face a mask of emotions. "Are you ready?" He asked and Elena nodded. As gently as possible he scooped up Elena and pulled her off the tree. A blood curdling scream slipped through Elena's lips as Damon began to run to the graveyard. "Are you sure Elena, its not too late…" "I'm sure Damon," she sighed contentedly as her eyes fluttered closed. Damon leaned down and kissed her forehead, her cheeks her nose, and finally her lips as a single tear slid down his cheek. "I'm so sorry Elena, I'm so so sorry." He sat beside her and held her hand as he cried, not sure when he had last cried, or when he had felt so many emotions. Or when he had learned to love again. He sat with her long into the night, long after his tears had dried, cradling her closely to her chest. "Damon…" His head snapped up, staring down at the body in his arms which began to slowly move. "Damon, what's happening!" "Elena!" Damon asked in disbelief.


	2. Chapter 2

Elena sat up, hand at her burning throat. Her eyes burned with tears. "No, no I didn't want this! Damon how could you!" She sobbed into his chest. "Elena, I didn't… I swear, I don't know what happened. Oh my god, Elena." He buried his face into her hair, and held her tightly. "I thought I'd lost you forever. I guess you really couldn't stay away huh?" He joked lightly and he felt her smile against his chest, tears subsiding. "You really didn't turn me?" Elena asked looking into his eyes earnestly. "I swear I didn't, I really wanted to, but I didn't." She hugged him tightly, and the first sign of light began to shine in the graveyard. "Damon, the sun. I don't have a ring!" "Oh shit!" He responded and scooped her up speeding her back to the boarding house.

As Damon ran through the door with a bundled up Elena, he was met with the shocked faces of Alaric and Anna. He deposited Elena gently on the couch, and unwound his jacket from her body, brushing her hair away from her face concernedly. Anna looked at them in horror, Alaric in shock. "We thought you were dead…" Alaric started. "Well, technically, we both are." Damon shot at him. "Damon! How could you turn her!" Anna exclaimed. Damon sighed, He was really getting sick of these accusations. "I didn't Anna, she died, and then somehow she returned to life." Everyone sat in shocked silence, heads swirling with thoughts. Suddenly Elena announced, "Alaric needs to leave. Now." They looked over at Elena, and saw her eyes begin to darken, and fangs begin to elongate. Without a word he left the house, and Elena crumpled into the couch. "Anna, go get one of the blood bags from the fridge." Damon commanded, and Elena sat up straight. "No, don't. I should be dead right now, and reuniting with my parents. If I don't drink blood, I don't transition right?" She half commanded, half pleaded.

Damon sat next to her, and took her hand, and tilted her face towards him, looking into her tear filled eyes. "Elena, think about everything you'd be leaving behind. You have a second chance, I know it's not exactly what you wanted, but I'll help you through it." She shook her head slowly, thinking it over. "Think about Jeremy," Anna urged, "and your aunt." She stopped shaking her head, and just sat there. "Think about Bonnie, and Caroline, and Mervin, I mean Matt. Do you really want to leave all that behind? Do you really think it's your time, because I don't, and frankly Elena, I can't bear to watch you die again." He nodded at Anna who sped away to get a blood packet. She looked at Damon helplessly. "I don't want to kill people Damon, I don't want to hurt them." Damon gathered her in his arms, unsure of what to say. "I'll help you, I promise. Just trust me."

Anna returned with the blood packet, and silently handed it to Damon. Elena straightened up, and looked at Damon determinedly. "Can I at least have a glass?" She said, and a heartbreaking smile broke out on his face, as Anna laughed and went to get the glass. "That's the Elena I know and love. I knew you wouldn't give up. You sassy thing." Elena smiled up at Damon with the words "thank you" shining in her eyes.


	3. Chapter 3

With blood in her system, Elena began to calm. As she sipped the glass, half disgusted, half mesmerized by its contents, she found the strength to accept her future as a Vampire.

"Damon, what all happened, in the forest. After we were separated I mean."

Damon sighed and rubbed a hand roughly across his brow. He looked into her eyes with his unreadable expression fixed firmly in place. He didn't seem to know how to start, and that shocked Elena. Anna stepped in for him and said;

"Well you guys know what happened before hand, how people were compelled to come into the forest…"

Elena shuddered remembering fully the zombie like people of Mystic Falls flooding through the trees in the forest. The place all chose to avoid more than any other areas.

"Some of them started to attack us, and we tried so hard to spare as many as we could Elena, we really did." Anna began to tear up. "Then Stefan appeared with Katherine, and you guys disappeared, and we started trying to round them up, and just get them out of there, to uncompel them. They just kept coming…" She began to cry, and Damon began to fill in the rest.

"Stefan tried to talk reason with us, and Katherine attacked you. That's when you were thrown into the tree I think. I'm so sorry Elena, I can't believe I didn't…" She smiled and shook her head silently urging him to continue.

"Stefan disappeared I'm not sure where to, I haven't seen him since. But she just kept talking about how she knew all you were was a replacement. For the both of us. How she knew I loved her and always would, how weak you were, and how much better she was than you. I just couldn't take it, not after all her betrayals and everything. We fought… and I killed her."

Elena nodded silently. "What happened to the townspeople?" she asked Anna.

"When she died it must have released them from her compulsion. Alaric gathered them all, and I compelled all of them to forget. It was exhausting. I'm just glad it's over." She stopped suddenly. "I think I'll go see Jeremy." Then she was gone.

A comfortable silence fell over the Salvatore home as Elena and Damon sat silently on the couch. It was broken only when Elena yawned, and Damon held a hand out to her similarly to the way she had done only yesterday.

"Come, lets get you to bed Kitten." Elena saw no reason to resist and allowed Damon to lead her to his bed. When he turned to leave she grabbed his hand quickly.

"Don't, please. Stay with me?" She pleaded. He nodded and kneeled on the floor beside her, hand entwined with hers, as her eyes fluttered shut and she slipped into an easy sleep. She stirred unhappily when Damon got up to leave, almost waking before he decided to slip onto the bed next to her.

Hours later Elena woke to a gentle hand stroking her hair, and indistinct murmurings. She opened her eyes to be greeted with Damon Salvatore's shockingly blue eyes. "Well good morning Kitten!" He smirked. "I'll bet you're awfully hungry." He said, suddenly dangling a wine glass with red liquid swishing in the sparkling glass in front of her face. She looked at him steadily, unsure of what to feel. He frowned and set the glass down.

"What's wrong?" he questioned. Elena shrugged in response. His frown deepened and concern etched itself into his eyes. "Elena, what is it?" He asked in earnest.

"I- its hard. On one hand, I feel repulsed by the though of drinking blood, on the other I feel entranced, mesmerized, needy. I don't want to feel this way forever."

"You won't Kitten. I promise, it'll get better. Believe it or not I felt the same way when I first turned. It's an acquired taste… like the finest of wines." She laughed at his comparisons. Always the alcoholic, and took the glass he offered with no objections this time. "Good girl," he murmured. He slid off the bed, and disappeared without a moments notice.

"Damon!" Elena called, sliding off the bed herself. She padded silently across the room, and opened the door to see Damon leaning against the frame.

"You called?" He said with a smirk, handing her another glass which she drank from greedily.

"DAMON!" A voice neither Elena nor Damon expected to hear shouted from down the stairs. Elena choked, spilling the blood which sloshed messily across her face.

"Stefan," they breathed in unison, and suddenly he was there, a broad smile spread across his face.

"Katherine!" He exclaimed happily.


	4. Chapter 4

Time seemed to freeze as Damon and Elena stood in shock.

"Stefan…" Elena began, but Damon cut her off.

"Where'd you go? During the fight, you just disappeared. Where did you go?" He questioned him nastily. Stefan smiled,

"To find Elena!" Then he frowned. "But I couldn't." He turned accusatory eyes on Elena.

"You didn't kill her did you? You know she'll only come back. We had a deal!" Damon's eyes flashed with anger at Stefan's words.

"What do you mean?" He spat at Stefan as he stepped in front of Elena protectively.

"I didn't want her to hurt Elena. I love her too, you know. So I've been putting my blood in her drinks and in her food to stop her from dying. Just in case." He smiled looking pleased with himself. Elena was trembling.

"You what!" she exploded. Realization clicked in his eyes.

"Elena! She just couldn't resist could she? I'm sorry, where is she anyway?" He reached at to stroke her cheek but she flinched away. "Elena love, relax. We can be together… forever!" Elena drew one hand back and slapped him full force in the face. His eyes darkened with anger and Damon grabbed her trembling form. He stared viciously at Stefan.

"You are no longer welcome here brother," he spat with venom. "Leave."

"This isn't over. You can't take her from me! She** belongs** to me. I made her!" and he was gone. Elena collapsed against Damon in shock.

"How could he do this to me?" she sobbed and tucked her head into his shoulder.

"Elena, Elena shh." Damon stroked her hair softly. "Elena, you are ruining my shirt." He said it jokingly and beamed when he received a laugh for his efforts. "Tearstains, I can handle. But, blood… that just isn't classy." She smiled up at him with teary eyes and touched her fingers to her face.

"I must look a mess…" She looked at her blood covered fingers sadly.

"Yeah…" Damon began, taking her blood coated fingers in his hand. "But you look like a beautiful mess." He raised her fingers to his lips and kissed each one before gently sucking away the blood. Elena watched him with fascination and butterflies in her stomach. He cupped her chin in his hand his thumb stroking her lip intimately, all the while staring into her eyes. His eyes dropped down to her lips and she found herself holding her breath.

"Lets get you cleaned up Kitten." Damon said pulling away from her, breaking the moment. Elena exhaled with disappointment, and confusion. She allowed Damon to pull her to their bathroom, and let him wash away the blood as if she were a small child. She looked at him through hooded eyes, not wanting the stress and confusion to shine through and he took a double take. Never before had she tried to hide anything from him, and he did not like it.

"Elena," he started and she interrupted him.

"I'm so tired Damon." He paused not wanting to keep her up, but wanting her to stay real with him. She leaned her forehead into his chest and he gave in.

"Alright, alright come on sleepy." He led her to his room and settled her in the covers. "Elena… Look I know you are going through a rough time. But, please, don't shut me out. I just want to help you. The way you've helped me so many times. I- just I need you to keep your faith with me. You are the only person who has ever believed in me. Let me be here for you." Elena nodded and held open her arms. He smirked at her his face saying "I don't do hugs." So she crawled over to him, sat herself in his lap and hugged him tightly. He slowly hugged her in return stroking her back softly until her grip loosened and he realized she was asleep. He tugged at her arms but she moaned unhappily and tightened her arms around him. He smiled slightly and layed back against the bed Elena wrapped in his arms, and skillfully pulled the covers up around them. He touched his lips to her forehead hesitantly and Elena smiled in her sleep, snuggling closer to him. He allowed his own eyes to shut, unaware of the genuine smile turning up his lips.


	5. Chapter 5

Anna walked into the boarding house fully expecting to hear Elena's heartbeat. The silence instead echoed back to her the memories of the past days. With that came the remembrance Elena was now a vampire. Anna super-sped around the bottom floor; proceeding to the stairs when she found no sign of Elena. She found her quickly, pausing in the doorway to what se assumed was Damon's room, to survey the scene in front of her. It was a classic 'awh' moment. Damon's arms were wrapped around Elena in a lovers embrace, pressing her back to his chest comfortably. Their hands were intertwined, and Elena's head was turned slightly towards Damon's which rested in the hollow of her shoulder and neck.

Anna didn't want to ruin the moment, but she needed to talk to Elena.

"Elena," Anna called softly. Too soft even for Damon to hear. Elena's eyes snapped open and she smiled bemusedly at Damon before realizing Anna was in the room Elena flushed slightly causing Anna to grin. She had always secretly rooted for Damon, even more when Katherine returned. Elena skillfully detangled herself from Damon, a feat she never would have been able to accomplish without waking him if she were still human.

"Anna, what's up?" Elena asked quietly, sliding gracefully off the bed.

"I wanted to talk to you about some things," Anna started, fidgeting nervously. Elena nodded encouraging her to go on.

"I know we haven't always been on the best of terms, but I like you, a lot. I just wanted to talk to you about Jeremy. I love him. I feel caught between a rock and a hard place. Especially after seeing your reaction from being turned. Jeremy wants me to turn him. I don't know what to do, and I don't want you to hate me. I'd like to be friends." Anna looked Elena in the eye.

"I don't want to be the one to damn him to a life where he will be unhappy." Elena nodded slowly, understanding. She was silent for a minute, contemplating her answer. Not too long ago her answer would have been no, absolutely not. But she hesitated. She knew Anna loved Jeremy, and Jeremy loved Anna. Plus after Isobel had visited she had definitely given some serious thought to spending forever with Stefan. Finally she sighed her answer coming to her clearly.

"Anna, its ultimately Jeremy's decision. If this is what he really wants, and he knows all of the consequences, than it is between you two to figure things out. As for the two of us, I would love to be friends." Elena smiled at Anna, who beamed back at her.

"Thank you Elena, hats what I needed to hear," Anna said slightly loudly as she threw her arms around the other girl. Elena laughed sweetly, hugging her back before a groan from the bed caught their attention.

"'Lena?" Damon asked thickly, his hand searching blindly for the girl. Anna grinned wickedly and whispered a suggestive

"see you," in a sing song before disappearing. Elena shook her head, sitting on the bed and taking Damon's hand, her face suspiciously hot. A small gasp escaped her lips as Damon yanked her flush against him. He nuzzled his face into her neck playfully.

"That was sweet of you," he murmured into her skin.

"You were awake?" Elena asked him surprisedly. He nodded, skimming his nose along the lines of her throat.

"Can't have been easy. I know how much Jeremy means to you." She swallowed hard at his statement. Whether it was because she agreed or because of the way his skin felt against hers, she didn't know, and decided she didn't want to. Instead she turned into him, causing Damon to freeze. She idly raised her hand running it through his inky black hair to the base of his neck and back again.

"I guess I just need to realize his life is his own, and the best thing I can do for him is just be there when he needs me." She glanced down at Damon who's eyes had half closed under her touch. He sat up slowly and Elena's hand dropped from his hair.

"I think…" He said, picking up her hand thoughtfully.

"That you are right." He finished simply, softly kissing her knuckles.

"What do you say we get out of here?" Damon asked, a wicked glint in his eye. Elena looked at him incredulously.

"I say you are crazy! Where are we going to go that doesn't have tons of innocent people I could hurt?" She shook her head.

"I can't do this if I become a killer."

"I won't let you." Damon's voice was soft but passionate, and his sincerity rang in every syllable. Elena took a deep breath.

"So, what do you have in mind?" She asked him. Damon's wicked grin returned and he smirked, his blue eyes twinkling.

"Georgia."


End file.
